Tookie Williams' Pending Execution

Doug Berman is the source for information on the Williams' execution.  Her has links to court documents in these posts:

• Still more buzz about executing Tookie
• Talking Tookie
• Talking more Tookie

Having read all the court documents, I have these tentative thoughts:

• According to the L.A. County District Attorney's office, redemption is impossible.  Once a person is sentenced to death, he can never escape that sentence.  That's a fair enough argument, as far as these things go.  But I've actually heard prosecutors argue that the death penalty need not be abolished because, in the appropriate case, a death sentence can be commuted.  That argument, hot air though it always was, now doesn't even deserve to pass through one ear to go out the other.


• Having been around a lot of prisoners, I'm not convinced that Mr. Williams is a changed man.  Prisoners almost always find some schtick - some way to make people think they've changed.  Those of us who have believed in people convicted of violent crimes and then have been burned, likely view Mr. Williams' change of heart with some skepticism.


• Should it matter whether whether Williams' heart has changed, given that he has done so many good deeds?  This is a tough question.  When deciding whether to grant Williams clemency, what should matter most - works and one's heart?
  

• The argument that there are some doubts about whether Williams killed the people he was convicted of killing aren't persuasive.  After all, as the founder of the Crips, he did enough dirt that he "deserves" to be where he is at.  As a legal purist, I  don't believe this; but the people he needs to persuade do.  Even if he didn't kill those four people, he should claim responsibility.  Sometimes you have to "cop" to something you didn't do to avoid an unjustly harsh punishment.  It's not fair, but with one's life in the balance, it should be survival over all.

Comments

[mythago]

Should it matter whether whether Williams' heart has changed, given that he has done so many good deeds?

Can someone who refuses to admit to, or take responsibility for, their bad acts really be said to have been "redeemed"?

[That Lawyer Dude]

In deciding whether someone should be granted commutation or not, the consevative Executive should look not to the crime, and the issue of redepmtion and/or change of heart (they are different and Williams is proof of that) should only be examined in light of the true issue to wit: If the Death penalty is designed to protect society then is the value to society of the continued incarceration with the promise of a potential return to that society (even if remote)of a greater amount than the cost of the putting that potential to an end.
In Williams case, I think that the proof of value in his writings his work with gang members and potential gang members and other things he can realistically potentially accomplish (based on accomplishments already reported elsewhere)seems to outwiegh the value of the small increase in safety society will gain. The issue of whether we as a society should ever kill a member is left to another day. The right of the death penalty at least for the purposes of this post is assumed, Hence the issue is what is right in Tookie Williams case. The issue is not the 4 dead cops, Tookie as a gang leader, or any potential closure that may come. It is about Society and its gain or loss. If we remember that the criminal justice system is not a personal vendetta settling mechanism and is a organism meant to better society, the issues of the death penalty will I think become far clearer.

[Fishbane]

As a legal purist, I don't believe this; but the people he needs to persuade do. [....] Sometimes you have to "cop" to something you didn't do to avoid an unjustly harsh punishment.

I have difficulty understanding how those sentences can fall so close together and hold any meaning. Are you contrasting the unjust state of our legal system with legal purity? That's the only reading I can find that makes sense.

[mythago]

It is about Society and its gain or loss.

So it's just a cost-benefit analysis? Three dead innocents vs. a lot of good books = forgivness?

[Shawnelle]

I don't think people remember why Tookie is in jail. He MURDERED innocent people! I'm sure 99% of the men in jail on death row have "changed" and feel they've made a mistake by killing someone. What makes him so special? Why are these Hollywood people trying to save this loser? Tookie created the Crips for crying out loud! If anyone deserves to be put to death it's Tookie! I can't wait until he IS put to death. Too bad he won't be shot execution style, like he shot his victims.

[monster]

Everyone finds God on Death Row.

[Tonythetiger]

Tookie may have been the first terrorist leader to attack America,
Think about it, he formed the Crips, that terrorized LA., caused the death of hundreds of innocent people, and promoted the use weapons of mass destruction
( Drugs ) in America.

When we catch Bin Laden, we can put him in jail for 20 years, then he can write a book and repent about how bad 9-11 was, we can make him a hero and the liberals can ask the President to pardon him.

[fiifi parker]

spare williams' life

[Lisa]

What about the families who lost their loved ones???? Don't they matter???? Everyone finds God in the prison system and over half are repeat offenders when they get out....

[Sis Lynda]

All these comments are very disturbing. It's against the law to kill someone, but it is law to kill someone if the law approves it by giving a person the death penalty. KILLING THE PERSON WHO KILLED MY LOVED ONE IS NOT GOING TO BRING MY LOVED ONE BACK OR MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, HAVE CLOSURE, OR FEEL JUSTICE WAS COMPLETE. The majority of these comments are from people who could care less about anything and have no clue about nothing. I wonder if people would truly research things they would be shocked about the truth.. But, oh, yeah..that would be called thinking and finding out for yourself and being a leader instead of a follower. It also still displays the type of society we live in. So I guess those hate groups throughout the world, who were started by either one individual, or individuals, that kill people with no remorse just because of their skin color and protected by a government is okay? Or, there was a reason? And the young men and women in the military dying in another country just because someone wants to play a "bully" is not murder? Or the drunk drivers who kill innocent people and children, hourly, the molestors and convicted rapist, doing less then 10 years in prison, then free, what about that? Or Charles Manson, Buono, Bianchi, and the countless other killers, whose victims are MORE THEN FOUR, past and present, who have had support from citizens and govenment to not be put to death, but live their lives in prison forever at the cost of the victims who are taxpayers. Where is the justice in that? It's funny how everyone is so quick to judge and kill, but claim they feel for victims. It's sick how those people who comment don't have a clue about the truth or the community a crime or situation occurs in, until it effects them. Of course, the belief is that this criminal justice system cannot never be wrong, yet, daily, corrupt police departments, government officials, and more crucial evidence is discovered and mysteriously uncovered, and the best someone can say after the fact is...sorry..Guess the "brotherhood" and "love thy neighbor" aftermath of 911, the hurricanes, and other tragedies, is finally showing the truth about the people of this world. "You shall reap what you sow" and this country, because it is still a country that is FAKE, will continue to experience tragedies until people wake up..May God truly have mercy on us all..

[Jasper Elric]

a murderer is just as such. no redeeming value can ever be found in such a vile waste of tax dollars then this. the karmic wave comes full circle

[it doesnt matter]

mythago... If one kills how does that make it right for another to punish him by then killing him? killing anyone, no matter how its done is never right... besides Tookie wouldnt have died lying. They wanted a confession from him but how and why should he have apologized for crimes he did not do? He took full responsibilty for all other things and he knew no matter what, he was on death row... and how are you gonna call him a loser? I already know you are more of a loser he ever would have been... See cause people like you he didnt want around. He knew he made a mistake by starting tha Crips he apologized and has showed this by everything he did and accomplished. So dont sit there and call him a loser cause i sure as hell dont think...naw i KNOW you could never live up to be half tha person he was. Hah could you start a gang? "kill" innocent people? spend half your life on death row knowing you were going to die for something you did not do? and STILL be positive and try to actually make a difference not to mention get a nobel peace prize for your work...shit i didnt think so. so before you go and say you wish he was shot down like his victims think about how ignorant you are. If he did in fact kill and you are against that then how can you support someone else killing HIM just because they can... wow...So what makes you so special and how can you have tha nerve to say something like that about someone you judge because of how tha media and all tha hype wanted to portray him as. Its pretty sad how pathetic you just made yourself sound.